Tunde Bakare
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has urged students across the country to see internet fraud and other acts of corruption as a serious setback to the development of the nation and desist from them in the interest of their future.
He stated this in Abuja on Monday, November 4, 2024 while addressing students of New Capital School, Asokoro, Abuja that visited the corporate headquarters of the EFCC on a study tour.
Olukoyede, who spoke through the Head, Media and Publicity Unit and Spokesperson of the Commission, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Dele Oyewale, charged the students to defend their future by shunning every act of corruption. ‘‘As a child, you should know that it is wrong to be involved in corruption. Your future is very bright. For you to get to your future, you must reject corruption today. I see future Presidents, Senators, Ministers among you. We must fight corruption today, so you can get to your future”, he said.
He pointed to challenges facing the nation as effects of corruption, maintaining that a new future is possible if students embrace a culture of hard work, discipline, creativity and enterprise. He called on parents and other stakeholders in the training of students to join hands with the EFCC to tackle the menace of economic and financial crimes. “We need to move forward individually and corporately. There is no better way of achieving this than by joining hands to fight corruption. Everyone must be involved in the fight against corruption and this is what the EFCC is seeking from every Nigerian”.
In his remark, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE I Ogunjobi Olalekan, warned the students on the dangers of cybercrime and how to stay safe online. Speaking on three points of cyber safety: “Stop, Think and Connect” in staying safe online, Olalekan charged the students to be careful before opening or replying to messages from other internet users to ensure safety. “Before you open or reply to that message or person, be sure that what you say is true. Be sure that the request is safe, then you connect with the person,’’ he warned.
Head, Enlightenment and Re-orientation Unit, ACE2 Aisha Mohammed, encouraged the students to spread the good news of the anti-corruption fight to their parents and siblings. ‘‘We want you to take this message from the Chairman back to your homes because we want you to be foot-soldiers of the Commission’’.
Mohammed urged the students to seek to be people of integrity and to always stand for what is right, irrespective of the situation they find themselves in at any moment. ‘‘We want you all to stand for integrity. Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching you. Be a person of integrity, we want you to be Ambassadors of the EFCC. You represent your families, communities, and the country. We are trying to change this narrative of corruption and that’s why we want you to be good Ambassadors”, she said.